Wicked Is the Reaper

Chapter Six

After Wicked left, I paced in my cell, trying to hatch a plan. Maybe I could escape when he took me into the woods tonight. The problem was I was hours from home and getting there would mean having to find the pass that would allow me through the hills.

Even if I did, by the laws of Aetherus and the Fae, I belonged to him, and it would only be a matter of time before he found me and dragged me back here. I had no more rights than a sack of bruised apples.

The only way I could truly escape was to kill him. I needed a weapon. A dagger. A knife. Anything. I shook the bars of my cage, testing for weaknesses. But it was solidly built. If I screamed loud enough, would anyone hear me? Not likely. No one else lived in these woods and the villagers avoided the forest as much as they could because of the Reaper.

What would they think when they learned there were actually two monsters that called the forest home?

Frustrated, I let out a scream anyway just to relieve the pressure building in my chest. I screamed and screamed until my throat was raw and my voice gave out. It accomplished nothing, but it made me feel marginally better.

Sinking down into the corner of my cage, I wrapped my arms around my knees and waited for Wicked to return.

The sun was setting when the door slammed open, and he stepped inside. Snow dotted the furred shoulders of his cloak, and he shook it off, stomping his wet boots on the floor. I winced at the blast of cold air he brought with him. The fire he’d stoked had dimmed an hour ago, and the room had taken on a chill that left me shivering.

He rubbed his gloved hands, his breath fogging before he looked over to where I sat watching him. Without a word, he marched to the fireplace and added several more logs. Immediately, they caught fire, flaring brightly. It would take a while for the room to warm, and in the meantime, I tucked my frozen fingers into my armpits and glowered at my captor.

Wicked shucked off his overcoat and his gloves, hanging everything on the wall before locking his weapons in their trunk. Without looking at me, he headed for the kitchen, clearly intending to prepare supper. Would he feed me before he took me out into the woods? It hardly mattered. I had no appetite and couldn’t have eaten a bite if I tried.

Before long, the aroma of cooking food filled the air. A large pot sat on the stove that Wicked tended to periodically. He didn’t look at me the whole time, moving about his business. I sat in silence, simply observing.

When the stew was done, he portioned it into two bowls. He also placed a bottle of wine on the table. Now that was an idea I could get behind. Maybe I could get drunk enough to dull my apprehension.

Finally, he approached my cage, unlocking the door and leaving it open before he stalked back to the table. Slowly, I rose and shuffled out, sitting in the seat across from him. The stew was a rich brown gravy floating with pieces of meat, carrots, peas, and potatoes. Any other time it would have smelled delicious, but right now, all it did was twist my stomach.

Ignoring the food, I snagged the bottle of wine, pulled out the loosened cork, and filled the glass in front of me to the top. Wicked watched me warily, saying nothing when I picked up the glass and chugged half of it back.

My mother would have been horrified. This wasn’t the behavior of a princess. But I’d love to see how quickly she abandoned her so-called principles if she were kidnapped by a Fae and used as bait for an ogre.

Wicked remained quiet while I polished off the glass and then poured myself another. Outside, I noticed the snow falling more heavily, fat white flakes reflecting in the descending light.

Maybe he’d change his mind, but I doubted a little snow would stop him.

When we finished eating, he cleaned up the bowls and then turned to face me, grim resignation in his expression.

“It’s time for us to go,” he said.

I looked up at him with the most withering expression I could muster.

“How can you do this to me?” I whispered, my entire body trembling. With rage. With fear. With the sick, crushing certainty, this was my last night on this earth. “I’ve never hurt anyone.”

My venomous words landed where he was putting on his clothes, his shoulders stiffening. He paused for a breath and then resumed what he was doing, not looking at me.

“Get your things on,” he said as he strapped his sword to his back and tugged on his gloves. With a nod, I stood and walked to my cage, where I picked up my cloak and wrapped it around my shoulders. My back straight, I faced him with my chin high. I’d at least go out with some dignity.

He opened the door and gestured me outside, where we exited to a sprinkle of gently falling snowflakes, the ground already covered in a thin layer of white. I rued the delicate slippers on my feet, wishing I had my boots.

When I’d stood at the edge of the forest with Margaret and my parents yesterday, I hadn’t pla

Regardless, I vowed if I got out of this alive, I’d never leave my room again without thick socks and proper footwear.

Wicked slammed the door, causing me to jump and nearly stumble into the snow. My limbs were stiff and I couldn’t get enough air. I’d never been so scared in my entire life. He brushed past me, his boots crunching.

“Come,” he barked. Taking a deep breath, I picked up the edge of my skirt and followed, tears flowing down my cheeks.

The air was mild, the wind still, which was a slight consolation. My cloak wasn’t nearly warm enough for this weather, and my feet were already numb. Wicked stomped through the courtyard and into the forest, where our footsteps were muffled by the falling snow. In any other circumstance, it might have been beautiful.

He cast a look in my direction, his expression dispassionate, and then turned and started walking again. I did my best to keep up, but the ground grew increasingly slippery and my feet had turned into stumps of ice. I cried out when I lost my footing and landed on my ass so hard my neck cracked.

Wicked stopped and whirled around, fury in his dark eyes. With the glow of the moon and the falling snow and those strange markings on his face, he resembled an avenging god sent to deliver me to Hell. I cowered at the anger in his expression, no longer able to leash my fear.

Without a word, Wicked approached as I scrambled back. He bent down and then scooped me into his arms, cradling me against his body. I was too surprised to say anything as he once again started winding his way through the forest. I wanted to tell him to put me down, but it was a relief to be off my feet and he was so warm that I felt myself curling into his welcoming heat. I couldn’t stop shaking.

He picked up his pace now that I wasn’t holding him back and was flying through the trees at a speed that was dizzying. My arms circled around his neck, and I closed my eyes while my vision spun. Eventually, I chanced a look up at him. He stared straight ahead as though I wasn’t there. He seemed to be holding his breath, his chest barely moving.

While he continued ru

We continued through the trees for a while longer before Wicked finally came to a halt, the forest so silent it seemed as if it, too, felt the weight of the crime about to unfold. Wicked set me on my feet and then dragged me to the center of a small clearing. Rocks and boulders surrounded us on all sides, blocking off my view and reminding me of the boundaries of my existence.

I was trapped here, and I was going to die.

Lying in the center of the clearing was a set of chains and manacles anchored into the ground. My mouth opened in horror, realizing this was what he’d been doing out here today. He didn’t meet my eyes as he fell to his knees and secured them around my ankles and wrists. I said nothing while he worked, simply staring at him, wondering what kind of monster would do this to anyone.

Tears slipped down my cheeks, turning into burning rivers of ice in the cold air. Once he finished chaining me to the earth, Wicked stood and surveyed our surroundings.

“Are you really going to leave me out here?” I asked, forging steel into my voice. “I knew the Fae were terrible, but I didn’t know you had absolutely no conscience.”

He pi

I snorted out a hysterical laugh. “Are you kidding me? You’re the worst of the lot! You stole me from my family! From the man I was supposed to marry! You ruined my entire life to use as bait for a monster. And you won’t even tell me why!”

Wicked curled his lip, his dark eyes flashing, but said nothing in response to my outburst.

“I’ll be hiding in the trees,” were the only words he uttered before he stalked away.

“Fuck you!” I shouted at his back, relishing the words I was normally forbidden to utter. It felt good to let go of the metaphorical chains that once bound me, even if I’d now been snared by physical ones. It was the only comfort I had left. “You bastard! Come back and face what you’re doing to me! You coward! You asshole!” I yanked on the chains, the iron manacles biting into my skin.

Once his dark form disappeared into the forest, panic twisted in my nerves. He said he’d be in the trees, but I felt completely alone. I listened to the noises of my surroundings, interrupted by the clicks of my teeth chattering. The snow continued to fall, covering me, soaking into my hair and clothing.

“Please don’t do this,” I pleaded to the darkened night. “I’ll help you find another way. Anything you want, it’s yours.”

If Wicked could hear me, he gave no sign as I begged and pleaded for my life. When my voice gave out, I finally caved into silence. I’d lost all sense of time, but I was getting colder by the moment. I couldn’t feel my toes or my fingers. The least this bastard could have done was ensure I didn’t freeze to death before the ogre came for me.

Snow continued to fall until everything was coated in white. My eyelashes stuck together when I blinked, and the cold air made my lungs ache. Eventually, I sank to my knees, tired, exhausted, and no longer able to keep myself up. Instead of pleading for my life, I now pleaded silently for the ogre to end this misery.

A rustling in the leaves drew my attention, but the darkness prevented me from seeing anything beyond the clearing. My eyes drifted shut, and I collapsed to the ground, sliding in and out of consciousness.

Then I heard a snarl right next to my ear, but I was too cold and too tired to be afraid anymore. I welcomed the end.